Uefa may investigate a fracas in the tunnel after Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Nantes when Ruud van Nistelrooy was spat in the face.

Uefa may investigate a fracas in the tunnel after Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Nantes when Ruud van Nistelrooy was spat in the face.

Van Nistelrooy, whose stoppage-time penalty salvaged a point for United, had an argument with Sylvain Armand following a number of clashes with the Nantes left-back during the match.

The normally-placid van Nistelrooy admitted he lost his temper with Armand. "I lost my mind a little bit because of an incident that happened on the pitch with their left-back," he said.

"I got a bit annoyed in the tunnel. You don't often see that with me.

"It had been something on the pitch. I don't like to mention it because it was quite dirty. It had nothing to do with football."

Sir Alex Ferguson did not see the incident and although he condemned it as "terrible" he claimed he would not be making an official complaint to UEFA.

UEFA, though, could well launch their own inquiry and there were several officials, including the referee, in the vicinity.

Some of the Nantes players also tried to put van Nistelrooy off as he prepared to take the penalty in the third minute of stoppage time.

It had been awarded when Mario Yepes deliberately handled a Paul Scholes shot to earn a red card for his second bookable offence.

Ferguson was impressed by van Nistelrooy's coolness under such pressure and he drilled the penalty home into the bottom left corner to chalk up his 27th competitive goal of the season that salvaged a 1-1 draw for the Reds.

The Dutchman, who operated as a lone striker as Ferguson reverted to his 4-1-4-1 European formation, could easily have scored three or four during what was an open and exciting match in the Stade de la Beaujoire.

He saw one first-half shot hit the post, while he was denied several times by Nantes goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, who had an outstanding game.

Ferguson said: "It's the temperament factor with Ruud.

"The keeper made a string of fantastic saves. Ruud also hit the post and missed a couple of chances and he might have scored six or seven on another night.

"It was a great penalty and no keeper in the world would have saved that.

"No matter how well their goalkeeper was playing, there was no way he could have stopped that penalty."